30 Aug South African Game Reserves | How to Plan a Safari

Planning a Safari at One of the Best South African Game Reserves

Sub-Saharan Africa holds most of the continent’s wildlife with more than 40 South African game reserves alone. While there can be few people worldwide who have not heard of the Kruger National Park, fewer may be familiar with one of its counterparts – the unique, privately owned Welgevonden Game Reserve.

Whether visiting from overseas or living locally, if you plan to take your family on a safari and wonder where to go, this 36,000-hectare game park in the UNESCO Waterberg Biosphere Reserve will be hard to beat. In addition to expertly guided game drives in the park’s vehicles, and horseback or hiking safaris, you will have the chance to view ancient Bushman rock art, meet each of the iconic Big Five and dine in style. Furthermore, you won’t be hassled by crowds of day visitors and will get the opportunity to truly be immersed in nature’s serene beauty.

Best Time to Visit South African Game Reserves

The timing of your visit can optimise your experience. The ideal months for game viewing are from May to October. The dry, clear, cooler days during the winter months are when the wildlife tends to congregate near a game reserve’s watering holes, providing a perfect opportunity to watch them drink while you take photographs.

Best South African Game Reserves: Preparing for a Safari

If it’s the first time you have booked a stay at a Limpopo game lodge or any wildlife park, you may wonder what you need to pack. To begin with, rather opt for rucksacks and duffel bags which are less likely to get damaged when you are travelling on rough ground and can easily fit in the park’s jeeps: all visitors’ vehicles must be left in the car park. For starters, don’t forget to pack your binoculars, cameras and lenses plus the following:

• Clothing: Opt for lightweight garments made from breathable fabrics for maximum protection from the often fierce African sun, and remember to pack a hat. Comfortable walking shoes are a necessity and a bathing suit for refreshing dips in the pool. Most Welgevonden lodges offer a laundry service, but it’s advisable to pack two or three sets of everything and include some warm jerseys for the much cooler evenings.
• Other Essentials: Be sure to pack sunscreen, insect repellent, and any prescribed medicines you take. That said, there is one thing you can safely forget. There is no need to pack antimalarial tablets. Every Limpopo Game lodge in the Welgevonden game reserve is guaranteed free of the notorious parasite-carrying female anopheline mosquito.

Getting to The Cream of South African Game Reserves

Welgevonden is around two-and-a-half hours from Johannesburg if you are happy to drive. Alternatively, you could hop on a plane at OR Tambo and land at one of the park’s two private airstrips in just 45 minutes. Well, enough talk. Just click here, and we’ll help you book the safari experience of a lifetime.